SOMERSET - As the old saying goes, "it takes a village." In the case of the restaurant business, it also takes a plan.

Strong and Co. have both, and that's a big reason why they've enjoyed plenty of success in the seven months since opening on the square in Somerset.

Located on the same property as the former Anthony's Italian, the newly renovated restaurant and bar defines the idea of "family owned." Four members of the Strong family are part-owners — Jeremy Strong and sister Jessica, along with their mother, Laura Foster, and her husband Rod.

They have brought an attractive black and gold storefront, a diverse menu and handmade cocktails to this Perry County village, which serves as an unofficial midway point between Zanesville and Lancaster, and a stop on the way to Newark from the south.

They specialize in smoked meats with house-made spice rubs and scratch-made sauces, such as its smoked blueberry barbecue sauce that has been widely popular on its trademark chicken wings.

They also hand make their meatballs, used as an appetizer and on subs, while their tortilla chips, which include scratch-made salsa and guacamole, are also made on site.

Laura makes the soups daily as well.

"Everything is pretty much made from scratch as much as possible," Jeremy Strong said.

Buy Photo

The barbecue burger at Strong and Company in Somerset.(Photo: Chris Crook/Times Recorder, )

Jeremy says the wings, with house-made barbecue sauce, are probably the most popular item on the menu. They are smoked and then light deep fried to give a combination of tenderness and a crisp exterior.

The barbecue burger, which features beef that Jeremy grinds daily, also includes brisket, bacon and barbecue sauce made in house. It comes with hand-cut fries.

Chef Clayton Cable and sous chef Toni Capps also have their own daily creations, including popular weekend specials that usually involve seafood.

One is crab-stuffed flounder served in a bed of keen wah, a form of quinoa; another is sliced Ahi tuna with an Asian slaw and asparagus. Both items will soon join the menu permanently, Jeremy says, due to their popularity. They are paired with a drink that matches in color.

None of the specials are on the menu, Jeremy said.

"There is something for everybody," Jeremy said.

At the bar, Jeremy's sister is the mixologist who concocts handmade cocktails from a specially designed menu. Many are derived from juices squeezed in house.

Buy Photo

Co-owner Jessica Strong pours a cocktail at Strong and Company in Somerset.(Photo: Chris Crook/Times Recorder, )

Jeremy worked 20 years as a surveyor prior to restaurant ownership, but said he has always considered himself a home chef who routinely smoked various meats on the weekends.

Between them, the food was good enough at family gatherings, in comparison to restaurants they visited, that they were confident a restaurant should be in their future.

It was further enhanced when Jeremy sold pizza and smoked meats for customers in the Hole In The Wall, also located on the square.

Interested in this topic? You may also want to view these photo galleries:

Business has come from all parts, he said, including those simply passing through town. Jeremy says it continues to pay for itself and is successful enough to purchase equipment needed to improve the product.

"My goal was to eventually have something like this," Jeremy said. "I didn't think it would happen so fast. (Business) has been good. It's up and down a little as seasons go, but it has far exceeded my expectations. I really think the community has embraced us and we're seeing new faces."